Nov 18, 2010

The Savior Complex ~ by Guest Blogger Ramones


I guess you could say it all started for me
because of Kodak moments like this:
Born and raised a South Side Irish Catholic girl, you are taught to believe in the power of love
which will redeem us all. We just have to believe and trust in the faith of goodness and love and we
will conquer all our past sins and be forgiven. We will be granted in grace, a start fresh. Armed with
this important “dogma” (I use that term lightly) from 16 years of parochial education,
I entered the world as a true savior complex woman.

Oh I have had a long line of men I knew needed my faith and belief to save them.
I was a believer in so many and willing to provide redemption for my Rochester, Darcy,
Mark from Flambards or Wesley in Rich Man Poor Man. Men have been saved and lost under my
watchful eyes but I have to admit no one so brilliantly deserves my faith and
fierce loyalty as our lovelyRichard Armitage in so many of his roles. He can
deliver a performance of the most profound depth andcomplexity that I am willing
to take up arms for his salvation at the drop of a pin.

I give you John Standring , my first RA character I was drawn to save.
 This was a man in dire need and craved the faith, loyalty and confidence of a good strong woman.
I was ever so willing. Although technically he did not need full on redemption I see him
as a warm up for the womanizing Lee.

 Oh Lee poor dear Lee...but he does wear his work clothes well.

Now my greatest challenge for redemption and the most wondrous battles fought
for his redemption was my beloved Guy of Gisborne. 

Many a long night was spent typing long arguments for his soul surrounded in glorious black leather.
Lines in the sand were drawn, troops were recruited, feelings were strong and camps were formed
and fortified. Insults were hurled like flamethrowers. No prisoners were taken and many of our soldiers
were injured and some lost but for us, the true savior complex, we knew our black knight was only a facade
for the real man under all that leather. He was worth the battle scars and in the end, we got our redemption
of sorts. Oh not the one we wrote in our many fan fictions but a valiant death, fighting for good
and brotherhood. Oh Guy how our prayers for your soul were answered and our
hearts broken. White flags were drawn and the battle ended for our Guy.

And now with my Lucas North, I see yet another redemption story unfolding.
His pleading wounded lying eyes focused at Harry cried out to me, “Save me!” and I once again
have taken up arms defending his right to a clean slate and salvation from his atrocities.
I am ready willing and able to suffer the slings and arrows once again.

I guess in the end we all have our vices. Mine just happens to be the savior complex.
Many of you will point and laugh at my naiveté. I will not be dissuaded; I will continue to have faith
and hope when all is lost. We sure could use a little more hope, faith and love today. So be kind
when you take up arms and remember we all fight battles in some way or another.


*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

About the Guest Blogger Ann, aka: Ramones~
I am a late 40's Mom who lives in the heart of the US in the land of OZ.  Sadly without the ruby slippers. 
I am originally from Chicago, Il.  My husband and I are both academics and are trained in the sciences.
I am raising 2 wild young men that are the joy and trials of my life. I am also a dog lover, avid reader
and huge Doctor Who fan and someday my cyber lady friends will win that lotto and
girl road trip to London for shows, sights and way too much fun!
Regarding Richard:  I was a huge Buffy fan and from the boards had friends in the UK when
it [Sparkhouse] came out. They were all telling me about this mini series I had to get a hold of.
One friend was able to get me a copy in 2003.  When North & South hit, they showed it on the local
PBS station in 2005/6 (not sure which) and then I was hooked. In roughly 2006/7 right after
North & South and Robin Hood came out, I found the RA community.

Photos courtesy of Richard Armitage Central Gallery.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lucas/John S9 breaks my heart.

@Rob said...

What a lovely post!!!! Thanks for articulating something I felt but couldn't quite explain. I think I need to get a hold of a copy of Sparkle House. I have only seen clips on You Tube.

Musa said...

Hi Ramones,
I too first saw RA in 2005 (I think it was 2005) on "North & South" thanks to my local PBS station. I just had to buy the DVD when I saw it in a PBS catalog not long after (it came with no extras by the way). My first RA DVD!
Very interesting what you say about redemption and the characters Richard seems to gravitate to, or is offered. There is something about how he builds up a biography for his characters and gives them a soul, even if playing a baddie. I think RA reaches out to us in that way, and helps us fight our own battles.
I'm counting on you now Ramones to save Lucas/John from S9 so that he comes back in S10 or S11!

Myrtle said...

Lovely Ramones.
Though it is difficult, I still hold a torch for Lucas.

Violet8886 said...

Wow, great job Ramones! You have sifted through the characters and have given us more than just a one-dimensional view...Very poetic post and heartfelt. Kudos!

I agree..It seems Richard likes to imbue his baddies with a need for redemption...They want to be saved, they just don't know how...

Maybe the writers can write you into Season 10 or 11 of Spooks...You are the specialist Harry sends out to bring Lucas back...and bring him back "whole"...

Sweet!

I admit the last episode of Spooks 9 made me cry..I felt for the Lucas character...But then I felt for Guy too...[and John Thornton..etc...]

Anonymous said...

Ladies and Gentlemen, Armitage Fan Blog presents: a hopeful romantic. Delightfully engaging post Ramones. Makes me yearn for a spot in your ranks. Though I did join the battle for Guy's soul. I think perhaps RA has the ability to impart a bit of the savior complex in us all.

Well done.

Random Ann said...

Thanks so much for all the lovely comments. This is Ramones. I have always been drawn to the antihero and am battling the ranks for the soul of Lucas. {or as we started calling him Jokas (Lucas/John)} s9 was a tough one, almost as bad as the end of s2 for Guy.

It is something in RA's eyes and depth of character that both drawn you in and break your heart.

So keep the faith.

Ramones.

diveknit said...

@ Ramones

Brilliant, just brilliant - thanks so much! I enjoyed reading it.

RA does play the antihero each time in a way that you just have to love him and that makes you think, if I could just have a go at it, I would convince him of the good ways and save him and he would be mine!!!! :)

Random Ann said...

@diveknit I secretly think many of us savior complex individuals may hope the same reward for saving him might be ours as well. The sheer hope of this keeps us in the fight.

@violet8886: Oh one can dream I could be a small part to Jokas' redemption on screen but sadly casting directors or the writers may not be looking in Wizard of Oz land for a player. Bummer being lost on the prairie. also I am thinking my husband might have something to say... ;) but I can dream.

Twinkling Moon said...

Great Post Ramones! While reading your post the first thing I thought of was that two characters of RA that I am most drawn to are Guy and Lucas...I guess RA really does well play characters in need of redemption. Now I'm wondering, does it say more about him that he plays such characters, or more about me that I'm drawn to such characters?

Regardless, fantastic post! You articulated so well what I think so many of us feel, but are unable to express. Count me in as among the loyal recruits who want to do the "saving", hey, if looks like that, who doesn't *wink*

BTW, do you write any fanfic? You've got a great way of writing!

Random Ann said...

@twinkling Moon: Thanks so much. yes I write but I have never published or posted any of my Guy material. I currently have some Lucas stuff in the works. My fan fiction took a back seat after the kids and career took over my days. Now that I teach I will be more prolific in the summer. I am on RAC so I will try to post some of it there if I can this spring.

diveknit said...

@NJTS_refugee
I guess there are a lot of people I would try saving for the sake of saving them, but not any of those RA characters, there I would have alterior motives ;)

Colleen said...

Love this post! I have to say I think you described my fasination with RA 100% I too cried at the end of MI-5. I was angry, sad and heartbroken. I haven't been able to even look at any of the RA sites for a few days. But, I remember I felt this similar ache in my heart after the end of Robin Hood too. So it will pass...I am not sure about the future roles in which we will be able to see our lovely RA - Captain America - he is an evil spy. Then we have the Hobbit - he plays a grumpy dwarf and again after a little redemtion, he dies in the end!!! When will we get a happy ending for one of RA's characters?? N&S has been a long time ago... But, on the other hand - he does play these tortured souls so well - as well as he plays with our hearts :)

Violet8886 said...

It is odd that so many of Richard's characters do not have a happy ending...I guess that is a tribute to him that he can play such complicated characters...But he needs to live happily ever after again..Like others have said..North & South was a long time ago...:) :)

Nat at RA FanBlog said...

I hear ya, Ramones... the savior complex hit me hard with Gizzy. :)